St Petersburg is kind of da bomb.
Gorki is a bit of a controversial figure in modern Russian theatre. His writing is very clearly pro-communist at a time when people were still warming up to communism as a concept. He was touted as the theatrical voice of the Soviet Union by Stalin, and was a very popular playwright in the USSR. However, Stalin did that thing that he had a habit of doing when he claimed to think someone other than him was the best ever: he had Gorki assassinated. Yaaaayyyy.
As a result, a lot of post-USSR theaters have really shied away from performing his plays, given the strong Pro-Stalinist Bolshevik overtones and memories. This production has been really interesting to work on, and to see even how the company reacts to the material.
Boating along the Neva River with that boy I married.
And who goes boating without their knitting I ask you!?
We are in St. Pete because the lad is now a graduate student at a Southern California university for theatre set design (so super proud of him!) The professor who runs his program grew up in St Pete, defecting to the US in the 1980s. He still runs a theatre company in St. Pete that his father started, and a required study abroad course is having the students come to Russia and assist for a semester on whatever play they are working on at the moment. The company has been working on Maxim Gorki's play "Dachniki" (usually translated to "The Summer Folk" or "Cottagers") for four years, and we have been mounting the production, and now that the show is in production, we serve as technical staff.
Me chillin' with Maxim Gorki
Gorki is a bit of a controversial figure in modern Russian theatre. His writing is very clearly pro-communist at a time when people were still warming up to communism as a concept. He was touted as the theatrical voice of the Soviet Union by Stalin, and was a very popular playwright in the USSR. However, Stalin did that thing that he had a habit of doing when he claimed to think someone other than him was the best ever: he had Gorki assassinated. Yaaaayyyy.
As a result, a lot of post-USSR theaters have really shied away from performing his plays, given the strong Pro-Stalinist Bolshevik overtones and memories. This production has been really interesting to work on, and to see even how the company reacts to the material.
The company has been amazingly warm and welcoming, helping us navigate the city, Russian drinking, and how to use the metro. In spite of limited English (and less than limited Russian for the Americans), everyone is relatively understood, and everyone gets along.
Some of the amazing things we have gotten to explore: Mushroom picking in the woods around Pavlosk Palace, exploring Peterhof (the fabulous gilded palace of Peter the Great), going to the Hermitage in the Winter Palace (for free with student IDs!) every week (or even a few times a week), going to the Russian Museum (where amazing paintings by Russian artists that Americans have never heard of are stored by the score), and several shows at the Alexandrinsky Theatre with mindblowing sets and costumes. All funded by the Russian Government.
Nothing make me want to be an artist more than being in Russia. I hear that people also feel this way going to Paris, but it smacks you in the face here. Constantly. I have seen more people who actually make their living by painting and acting here than I ever did in New York.
On Monday (after the husband's birthday), we will be heading to Moscow to visit for a few days. Can't wait!
